Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP - The Inside View

Gibson Dunn is like the legal equivalent of a candy store – it's filled wall to wall with tangy and tantalizing practice areas that hungry junior associates are queueing up for around the block. In other words, the power of choice is central to Gibson’s identity. Associates can elect to be unassigned for the first two years to sample the delights on offer (they then join a specific practice group.) What's on the menu? To cherry pick, the firm’s current boom in data privacy work and corporate growth has bolstered its strength in litigation, and it's also added FinTech and digital assets practice groups to its impressive portfolio.

Gibson Dunn is a Top 10 firm for Associate Satisfaction and three other categories in our 2023 survey.

It's also massive. “Practice at Gibson Dunn is truly global," most recently opening a base in Abu Dhabi. "On day one, I was able to start working with attorneys in New York, Texas, DC, and California. It’s not in a single office, it is shared across the world,” declared one of our insiders. To help with decision-making, a peruse of the Chambers USA guide can help newbies narrow their choices: the LA-founded firm is recognized in our sister guide for its leading appellate, business restructuring, commercial litigation, corporate, and real estate practices. That’s among 73 ranked departments across the USA, from California, New York, and DC… 

Despite its West Coast origins, the firm’s New York office takes center stage as the largest office amongst the firm’s network of ten bases. With an additional ten strategically placed across the globe, chair & managing partner Barbara Becker tells us, “We are in growth mode, strategically investing in our talent around the world. As an example, we recently opened an Abu Dhabi office, creating another destination corporate practice with our stellar team in the region.” The associates on our list were spread across all ten US offices: Century City, Dallas, Denver, Houston, LA, NewYork, Orange County, Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Washington DC.  

The Work   

Given the ‘unassigned’ role associates play initially, they’re able to pick up work from any of the firm’s practice areas: “The free-market system is so ingrained in the firm. It takes some proactivity on our side, but this is the environment to build a career.” At the time of research, litigation housed a large chunk of those who chose to be assigned to a group, followed by corporate and real estate. But the free-market system ensures much more lies beneath the surface. “It’s really free-flowing. I initially came in wanting to do M&A but then made the switch to litigation. I’m so happy for it.” To those who might prefer a bit more structure, “although it does sound messy, I’ve found getting work to be very smooth.” Our interviewees valued “the freedom to “choose your adventure” as well as partners' approachability: “People are very open to hearing from us – it’s common to send a cold email to people whose work you’re interested.”  

“I find the strongest relationships are built when in the trenches together.”  

Associates aren’t pushed into any specific type of work in litigation: “I came in thinking I was just going to be doing pure litigation but many of the seniors do a bit of everything.” Areas on offer include  white-collar and cartel investigations, entertainment matters, insurance claims, trade secrets cases, contracts disputes and assault liability charges. Clients are often household names, with Fortune 500, publicly traded companies, and private individuals all crossing the desks of junior associates. Associates enjoyed the level of responsibility on small matters, “it’s often just me and a partner. On those cases, I’m calling clients, drafting substantial portions of disposition briefs and acting as the primary drafter generally.” The juniors we spoke with had participated in Supreme Court cases, large class actions and government investigations - “or any other type of litigation, whenever I feel like it!”   

Litigation clients: Apple, Amazon, Founders of Tinder. Defended AMC Network against allegations that it failed to pay brought by the executive producers of The Walking Dead hundreds of millions of dollars.  

“It is such a big practice with work across offices. We basically do a bit of everything.”  

The transactional practice is similarly diverse. Associates can dip their toes into M&A, private equity, bankruptcy, and venture capital. With 300 corporate lawyers from East to West, North to South, corporate work is no small feat here at Gibson. Sources report “there has been a broad range of work in both the public and private space, including multibillion-dollar transactions.” On matters of this size “the workload can be intense and unpredictable, but the pace is what I enjoy about the practice.” Similarly, juniors tended to prefer the smaller deals as “there’s a higher amount of responsibility seeing as they’re more leanly staffed.” Newbies often start out with due diligence, drafting ancillary documents, and plenty of work on the disclosure side. Deals can become all-encompassing when things really ramp up: “I find the strongest relationships are built when in the trenches together” said one interviewee.  

Corporate clients: News Corp, Kraft Heinz, Merck. Advised PepsiCo in its $4.5 billion sale of juice brands, including Tropicana, to a French private equity firm.  

"We don’t do run of the mill deals at Gibson,” declared a real estate insider: “Clients come to us with the most sophisticated and complex deals.” This department touches all transactional facets within the industry. “It is such a big practice with work across offices. We basically do a bit of everything,” said an interviewee. Associates pick up work in capital markets, joint ventures, debt and equity financing, leasing, dispositions, and real estate M&A.  In terms of tasks “We do everything under the sun!” So is there a typical type of deal? Yes. “A typical matter would be a very large real estate acquisition on behalf of a private equity firm, with multiple actors involved,” explained a source. The firm has a high-caliber roaster of clients,whilst associates reported high levels of client contact throughout. “The opportunity to lead a deal in my second year has been energizing.”  

Real estate clients: Goldman Sachs, Brookfield, Deutsche Bank. Represented JP Morgan in the redevelopment of Sunnyvale Mall, California.  

Pro Bono  

The associates we spoke with took advantage of Gibson’s multiple pro bono opportunities. In 2022, “our lawyers devoted 138,000 hours to pro bono work, on projects that included providing aid to Afghan, Ukrainian, and Venezuelan refugees, pursuing civil rights litigation on behalf of Deon Jones (resulting in a historic, unanimous jury verdict earlier this year), defending the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, advising small businesses and nonprofits, and more,” Becker tells us. Interviewees painted a diverse range of opportunities they felt were particularly rewarding, for example “I’m proud of the immigration work we do, which includes humanitarian parole and asylum work. There’s also been incredible work with veterans and helping victims of sexual assault.” Buoyed by the encouragement of the firm, associates felt they could easily connect with pro bono teams and, also bring their own matters.   

“We’re all encouraged to do at least 60 hours of pro bono, but there’s no limit and every hour is counted as billable. If you’re not doing 60 hours that’s something that may come up in your review.” We heard our interviewees went above and beyond the minimum: “the average is much higher.” Another told us that “an associate spent 800 hours of pro bono in their first two years and had no pushback!”  

Pro bono hours 

• For all (US) attorneys: 131,000 
• Average per (US) attorney: 68.2

Career Development  

Gibson Dunn aims to give lawyers "agency in their career development – our Free Market System, for example, is all about allowing attorneys to pursue practice areas that appeal to them,” according to Becker.From all accounts, agency is key to many of our interviewees’ experience. Gibsonites told us the professional development department guides juniors in the early years: “They offer career coaching if wanted. They help juniors find work they’re interested in but also, critically, help us to consider the next stage of our careers.” For those considering going in-house, the firm offers CV writing and mock interview workshops. Over in DC, it's common to make the switch to government, “a lot of people come back. It’s no secret, everyone shares tips and advice.” Together with a strong alumni network “if people do leave, they leave with a good taste in their mouths.”   

Culture  

A common theme amongst the firm “is a self-starter mentality.” Associates felt that the free-market system was central to this culture, “the firm appeals to those that don’t like people breathing over your shoulder.” A unique aspect of the culture is the cross-office dynamic as associates gain work and build relationships across the states. One friendly junior told us “I have meaningful relationships with people in LA, New York, and Houston. Especially since the move to zoom, it’s easy to have a gab at the end of a call, and build personal relationships.” Back in the 3D, the firm hosts plenty of lunches, dinners, and happy hours. Despite that “you don’t feel like you’re tanking your career if you’re not going out all the time.”   

Hours and Compensation  

Billable hours: no requirement  

Despite the absence of a billing requirement, an unofficial target of 1950 was reported by our sources. It’s not uncommon, though, for associates to blast past this. Together with the unlimited pro bono hours is the unlimited vacation, “it’s not tracked, and you’re encouraged to take it when the opportunity arises. We even have panels about how to take a vacation in your first couple of years.” Some juniors told us, “it can be easy to say yes too much, but you quickly realize that if you say yes all the time you’ll drown.” Actual day-to-day hours can depend on factors such as time of year, practice area, or partner.  

When hours get tough, associates noticed “since it’s a free market, the firm knows it’s important to check in on associates and make sure we’re not taking on too much.” The firm also offers a flexi arrangement, which allows its associates to work on a reduced-hours basis, though this is only available to mid-level associates and above. Our survey results suggested that firm associates are less stressed than the market average. Central to that is the autonomy associates have over their work; “associates have much more power because we can say no. If a partner isn’t great to work with then they’ll find it harder to staff their matters. It contributes a lot to associates’ happiness here.”   

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion  

Gibsonites enjoy a variety of diversity initiatives, including 18 affinity groups. These include groups for first-generation professionals, and parents. In fact, the associates we surveyed scored Gibson higher than the market average for making partnership achievable for those with children. There are also structured speakers series with “fascinating” guests.   

“I don’t feel like a token diverse person.” 

Becker points out, “We have increased the number of women partners by 152% since we launched our Women of Gibson Dunn initiative nearly a decade ago. We have also increased both the number of Black partners and Black attorneys by 150% in three years, since the start of our Black Advancement initiative.” Several sources highlighted the retreat for attorneys of color, whilst another added: “I don’t feel like a token diverse person.” Our sources recognized the firm's efforts in this regard and told us “It doesn’t just feel like just window dressing.”  

Strategy & Future  

“All of our strategies are enabled by our relentless focus on attracting and retaining our stellar talent and a commitment to working together across practices and offices to deliver for our clients,” asserted Becker. Associates felt comforted by Becker herself: “Our managing partner leads with such a steady hand.” The level of communication was rated highly between higher-ups and juniors in our survey responses, as was our sources' confidence about the firm's trajectory. “Every summer you get a presentation with an update on the financial health of the firm.”  

Get Hired

The first stage: recruitment on and off campus

Applicants interviewed for 2023 Summer Program: undisclosed

Gibson Dunn conducts interviews directly at more than two dozen law schools and participates in formal resume collections at many more.  Our summer programs routinely draw from more than 30 law schools. Hiring partner Perlette Michèle Jura tells us: "Our 'feeder schools' are exactly what you would expect – the Top 25 law schools provide the majority of our incoming summer and new associates." The firm does recruit substantially outside this group, however, "especially for offices located in the same cities as those schools."

The interviews themselves are conducted by a team of partners and associates, and Jura tells us that they’re looking for candidates who display “strong critical thinking skills, have impeccable professional judgment, and exhibit a strong work ethic.” She also flags the firm’s free-market system, explaining that candidates have the ability to chart their own path and seek out their own work. Associate sources agreed: “We want someone who has a go-getter type of attitude, but you also have to be personable and willing to take on work so people will want to work with you.” Another revealed: “When they’re recruiting at schools they’ll put on an initial screener in which you are – or are not – invited to a dinner. It’s two hours long and it’s essentially an extended second interview.”

Top tips for this stage:

"Come into the interview prepared, show enthusiasm for legal issues and work, and exhibit a level of energy and conviction that signals to us that the candidate would thrive in our free-market system and ultimately contribute to the firm as a whole." – hiring partner Perlette Michèle Jura

Callbacks

Those invited back to Gibson Dunn’s callback stage will see firsthand the firm's appetite for socializing (and for dining). Callbacks vary by office but typically consist of one-on-one interviews with a mix of partners and associates, followed by one or two meals with Gibson Dunn attorneys.  Some callbacks may be in-person and some virtual but the firm typically offers some chance to visit their offices and meet face-to-face.

Jura explains: “These meals offer candidates another more informal setting to demonstrate why they would be successful at our firm and likewise give our lawyers the opportunity to interact with the candidate in a less structured environment.” She adds that at this stage, “more questions might be asked about a candidate’s specific experiences or a candidate’s particular connection to and/or interest in the city in which their selected office is located.” Associates told us: “By the time their resume reaches my desk I’m confident they’re qualified, so from that point we’re looking for someone who’s going to perpetuate the Gibson Dunn culture and understand our work environment.”

Top tips for this stage:

"Researching Gibson Dunn interviewers with whom the candidate will be meeting as well as the firm generally and the select office ahead of time enables the candidate to offer specific questions and more relevant topics of conversation." – hiring partner Perlette Michèle Jura

Summer program

2L Offers for 2023: undisclosed

2L Acceptances for 2023: undisclosed

Gibson Dunn’s summer program, according to Jura, “is designed to help facilitate a smooth transition from law school to legal practice and provides training in areas such as legal writing, depositions, and corporate transactions.” Summer associates can work with multiple partners and practice groups and get feedback on each assignment. They also get embedded in pro bono matters, as well as a busy social calendar which ranges “from sporting events (a Mets baseball day in New York is a perennial inclusion), to small-group dinners at partners’ houses to legal networking events (like a tour of the Ninth Circuit courthouse in Pasadena, led by a Circuit Judge), to an annual diversity reception.” Jura tells us: “The vast majority of our summer associates return and join us as associates after they finish law school or, if applicable, their clerkship.”

Top tips for this stage:

"Summers should take every opportunity (whether in the office or at external events) to connect with as many of our attorneys as possible. Not only will this give them more exposure across their office, it also creates more opportunities to develop the mentoring relationships that are so essential to success in the law." – hiring partner Perlette Michèle Jura

And finally… 

An associate told us: “You have to be willing to make an effort on small projects and be collegial because you have to be pleasant to work with in a free-market system.”

Interview with Gibson Dunn's chair and managing partner, Barbara Becker

How would you define your firm’s current position and identity in the legal market? 

Gibson Dunn is an elite global firm.  We are all about excellence in all that we do—bringing exceptional people together to collaborate across practices, offices, and oceans to achieve incredible results for our clients.  The members of our firm’s community also share a genuine desire to make a positive impact on the world around us, and are encouraged to work on cases and causes that matter to them through our Free Market System.  And we are focused on developing the next generation of leadership at the firm, and in the legal field more broadly, by cultivating an environment where everyone can thrive and find a path to success—however they define success.

What are your core practice areas and sector priorities?

We have strong groups across the firm, and are creating and building on destination practices around the world.  Our litigation, investigations, and regulatory groups are powerhouses, and we added bench strength in 2022 in areas like appellate, antitrust, international arbitration, and privacy and cybersecurity.  We also have industry-leading transactional practices—including real estate, securities regulation and corporate governance, and ESG—and have been adding scale to our funds, finance, M&A, and private equity practices.

As we look strategically to what our clients will need in the future, we have also been investing in offices throughout our platform—from Houston to Singapore, the Bay Area to London, New York to Abu Dhabi, and so on.

All of this creates tremendous opportunity for our new associates to learn from colleagues with experience in industry, in government, on the bench, and more. 

Have there been any developments at the firm over the past year that you would like our readers to know about? 

We are in growth mode.  In 2022, we had the largest summer associate class, new associate class, lateral associate/of counsel class, and elevated partner class in the firm’s history. 

And to showcase some of the ways in which we have been growing over the last several months alone: we opened an office in Abu Dhabi, created a FinTech and Digital Assets practice group, and have continued to invest in practices and offices around the firm—developing the amazing talent we have, while also bringing in stellar new associates and laterals to complement our platform’s offerings.

Are there any domestic or international events/trends (legal, economic, political, social) affecting the work conducted by the firm or the way in which it is structured and run?

Our work is, of course, informed by what is going on in the world around us, and the needs our clients have as a result.  One example of this would be in our pro bono work, including the aid our teams continue to provide to Afghan, Ukrainian, and Venezuelan refugees.  Trends in the marketplace will also mean that one sector or another might be more in demand at any given moment, as we see, for instance, with growing data privacy work (an area where our practice is booming). 

In terms of the firm’s management, we have a longstanding tradition of practice group heads, local office Partners-in-Charge, and firmwide committee members communicating with leadership to help us make the best decisions for our attorneys, staff, and clients.  We are continuing that legacy and, in fact, building on these channels of communication through town halls and discussions with various constituencies around the firm, including our alumni and retired partners.  The opportunity to actively engage with our community is important to us, and these conversations will continue to be a vital part of how we work moving forward.

What is your firm's strategy and how do you expect the next year to unfold?

All of our strategies revolve around our talent, and how we can work together to best serve our clients’ needs.  To that end, we will continue to hire and develop the best and brightest, nurture our collegial culture, and leverage our teams’ experience and insights to take on some of the most complex, interesting, and pressing legal issues in the world.  This has all been key to our success in the past, and I expect that the same will be true in 2023.     

How is the firm evolving to accommodate the needs/expectations of the next generation of lawyers?

When I think about the next generation of lawyers, I think about a group of attorneys who are adept at using technology to bridge distances, who are incredibly adaptable (the past several years have only reinforced this), and who want to have agency and choice in how their careers develop.  At Gibson Dunn, the foundation of who we are as a firm is well-suited to welcoming these lawyers; we value giving choices and opportunity—providing tools and resources to help build skills, while allowing our attorneys to curate practices that best suit their interests.  And I think that our way of working—finding the best teams for each matter, wherever they are and whichever groups they are part of, to collaborate and innovate on behalf of our clients—also resonates with lawyers across generations. 

Over the last couple of years, and especially in light of all that we learned during the pandemic, we have also enhanced policies that support the members of our firm (including the next generation of lawyers) in maintaining balanced lives.  For example, we give our attorneys the flexibility to work remotely when appropriate, which we think is important to help promote fulfilling and sustainable careers.   

What is the greatest challenge facing the firm in the next decade? How about the legal market more generally?

All law firms, like businesses generally, will be adapting to new technologies and changing market conditions as time goes on—Gibson Dunn is no different.  However, with our diversified practices in offices all over the world, brilliant attorneys and staff at all levels, and a solid financial footing, I am confident that we are ready for whatever is ahead.

What is the firm’s approach to bolstering diversity, equity, and inclusion? Are there any initiatives that are new or that have been working particularly well that you would like to flag?

Across our platform, we want the best of the best talent, and that means recruiting, retaining, and providing opportunities for people with a variety of experiences and backgrounds.  Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are, therefore, an integral part of how we approach everything we do.  As one example, our Chief Diversity Officer, Zakiyyah Salim-Williams, was made a partner at the firm last year; Zakiyyah’s work, and the work of her department, is essential to helping the firm advance our DEI goals—having her as a member of the partnership (a decision that was met with uniform support) felt like a natural progression, and an important recognition of how central her efforts are to the firm’s work.

In terms of particular initiatives, I am proud of how our affinity groups have grown over the years, and how many people they help support.  We now have 18 affinity groups, including those for our Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino, LGBTQ+, Muslim, and Sabbath-observant attorneys, as well as groups for first generation professionals and parents.

We have also made important progress through our Women of Gibson Dunn and Black Advancement initiatives.  We have increased the number of women partners at the firm by 152% since we launched our women’s initiative nearly a decade ago.  We have also increased both the number of Black partners and the total number of Black attorneys at the firm by 150% in three years, since the start of our Black Advancement initiative in 2019. 

What advice do you have for students and junior associates who are just about to embark/have just embarked on their legal career?

Seek out mentors as you navigate your career, and invest in those relationships: take initiative, reach out, ask questions, and follow up.     

Explore and stretch where you can to say yes to new opportunities!  Be open to trying projects or practices that you may not have considered before, because they might lead you to exciting new paths.  Or they might confirm that what you were initially interested in is, in fact, the path for you.  Either way, you will learn more about what you enjoy and where you want to go by trying things out. 

When you are working on projects, think like a client (whether that is a senior member of your team, an external client, or both) and take ownership.  Consider how your project fits into a larger whole, be thoughtful about where you can add value, and really dive in.

And that “diving in” also goes for getting involved in your community—at your school, a firm, or wherever you end up starting your legal career.  It will be much more fun, and more rewarding, to be an engaged and active participant in your organization, so I would encourage you to raise your hand and join committees and efforts that appeal to you.